In Search Of...

In this episode of 'In Search of...Insights', Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings break down their biggest takeaways from MRC 2025 — from real-world tech adoption to AI myths, dealership education, and why so many stores are still chasing "level 47" when they haven't mastered levels 1–4. This conversation pulls back the curtain on what dealers are actually doing with advanced technologies, how CXO thinking is bleeding into the broader conference ecosystem, and why a long-term strategic horizon is the difference between spinning your wheels and building real competitive advantage. Zach also recaps the AI search study that fueled his Keynote, why LLMs remain a non-factor in transactional search behavior, and the costly risks dealers face when they misallocate focus and resources toward premature AI claims. Why Listen? Understand why dealers are finally moving past theoretical "innovation theater" and into real implementation See how leading groups are integrating platforms vertically across the dealership for actual decision-making Learn how CXO-level insights are elevating conversations at MRC and DMSC Get clarity on how education, not tools, is driving the biggest shifts in automotive Hear Zach's breakdown of AI myths, dealership misconceptions, and the real behavior patterns behind LLM vs Google search Discover why chasing "step 47" tech is derailing fundamentals like CTAs, processes, and actual customer experience Walk away with a clear understanding of what deserves dealer attention in 2025 — and what doesn't About 'In Search of...Insights' A monthly, no-fluff snapshot of the automotive marketing landscape — designed for dealership stakeholders, management, and marketers who want clarity, not hype. Subscribe to get data-driven insights and candid conversations delivered straight to your feed.

Can Atlas Really Change the Car-Buying Journey? In this episode of In Search of Insights, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings unpack the hype surrounding OpenAI's newly released Atlas - and what (if anything) it means for automotive dealers right now. Is Atlas the beginning of a fundamental shift in how shoppers discover, research, and buy vehicles? Or is it just another AI headline with no real-world impact… yet? Dan and Zach dive deep into LLM adoption, schema problems across dealership websites, consumer behavior inside LLMs vs Google search, and the realities behind OEM claims about AI. Why Watch Understand the real status of Atlas - beyond the headlines Learn why LLM-powered shopping journeys still break down at the transaction stage See how schema failures across ALL major automotive website platforms impact LLM accuracy Get clarity on why Google's AI Overviews aren't the threat many OEMs are claiming Hear early insights from upcoming MRC research on LLM vs Google traffic, conversions, and behavior Walk away with a grounded understanding of what's real, what's hype, and what actually matters heading into 2025 In This Episode 00:00 – Intro: Welcome to In Search of Insights 00:40 – First impressions of Atlas: breakthrough or nothing-burger? 03:05 – Why big AI announcements rarely change anything immediately 05:10 – Adoption barriers: devices, OS limitations, and early access friction 07:45 – Schema 101: what it is and why dealers should care 10:15 – The wetsuit test: when LLMs misread product data 12:25 – Automotive inventory problems: transient data and broken LLM links 14:50 – The real consumer path: LLM for research, Google for transaction 17:20 – How shoppers refine choices inside an LLM (truck research example) 20:10 – Why 90–99% of consumers still return to Google to complete the journey 22:40 – Early study preview: LLM traffic vs Google vs Bing across 150 dealerships 24:50 – OEM messaging vs reality: the truth about Google AIO usage 27:00 – Trust factors: why consumers prefer organic results over AI answers 28:35 – The rush to "newer = better" and the consequences for automotive 30:10 – Closing thoughts & preview of MRC discussion 31:17 – Episode wrap-up About In Search of Insights A monthly, no-fluff snapshot of the automotive marketing landscape - designed for dealership stakeholders, management, and marketers who want clarity, not hype. Subscribe to get data-driven insights and candid conversations delivered straight to your feed.

What happens when the automotive industry's biggest blind spots finally get called out? In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Brian Pasch - author, researcher, conference founder, and one of automotive retail's most respected voices.Together, they unpack what's actually hurting dealership performance today: bloated websites, missing ASC events, broken measurement, AI hype cycles, and an industry-wide lack of continuing education. This conversation is an unfiltered look at the uncomfortable truths dealers need to face - and the actions leaders can take right now to get ahead. Why Watch Learn why dealer websites have become overloaded - and how extra GTM containers, scripts, and legacy tools quietly destroy performance Understand ASC compliance: which vendors support it, which don't, and how the lack of standards breaks measurement, CDPs, and OEM reporting See why most CTA stacks fail (and which CTAs actually convert on SRP + VDP) Hear why 20 Groups often become echo chambers - and what true education and innovation should look like Get a candid breakdown of AI in retail: what's real today, what's smoke, and how many AI tools a dealership can realistically manage Learn the mindset shift every GM and marketing leader needs to make to survive data-driven retail In This Episode 00:00 – Introductions 01:00 – Why dealer websites became cluttered and overloaded 03:00 – GTM containers, scripts, site speed, and data leaks 05:10 – CTA simplification, mobile UX problems, and consumer confusion 08:05 – Why Schedule Test Drive performs poorly and how to measure CCR 10:55 – How vendor add ons create bloat and why removal rarely happens 13:15 – ASC adoption, vendor resistance, and data transparency issues 17:05 – OEM programs, politics, and why key tools fail to support ASC 20:40 – GA4 experience gaps among vendors and why half compliant tools cause problems 23:55 – Pop ups, early leads, and how CRM attribution gets distorted 26:40 – Why dealers still lack accurate analytics across their stack 28:20 – The education gap in automotive and why NADA programs are falling behind 31:10 – Conference attendance, learning culture, and the 30 day cycle trap 34:00 – Twenty groups as echo chambers vs true innovation networks 36:45 – Data skills GMs absolutely need today 38:35 – AI realities, hype cycles, and findings from upcoming voice AI research 41:25 – How many AI tools a dealership can actually manage 42:40 – Final thoughts and where to follow Brian Pasch About In Search Of A candid, data-driven podcast for dealership leaders and marketers who want clarity - not hype. Each episode features conversations with industry experts who cut through the noise and reveal the truths shaping modern automotive retail.  Subscribe to stay informed on SEO, AI, analytics, and the strategies that actually drive dealership performance.

What happens when you cut through the hype and look at what's actually driving dealership performance? In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with George Nenni, Founder of Generations Digital and one of automotive retail's leading digital minds. Together, they unpack the myths, metrics, and realities behind Google Performance Max, GA4 reporting, and the growing influence of AI in automotive marketing.Why Watch Understand what PMax really is — and why Google's "Happy Meal" approach is costing dealers money Learn how to identify bot traffic and fake conversions in GA4 See what triggers actually reveal shopping behavior vs. vanity clicks Get the facts on AI-driven traffic and how much impact ChatGPT and Gemini really have Hear practical advice for holding vendors accountable and cutting wasted ad spend In This Episode 00:00 – Introductions 01:35 – Background: Dealer Specialties → Generations Digital 05:35 – Demystifying digital 07:35 – GA4 light bulb: UTMs + triggers 11:35 – Visual reporting, quick context 14:05 – Vendor accountability & prep 17:35 – Bot traffic signals (incl. PMax) 22:35 – Where PMax helps: VLAs, Maps 26:35 – Budget sanity: paid search ranges 29:35 – PMax defined ("Happy Meal") 35:35 – CPC swings & weekly tuning 39:05 – AI + SEO reality today 42:35 – Traffic ratios: Google/Bing/ChatGPT 47:05 – Informational vs transactional SEO 49:35 – Practical AI uses (BDC, service, content) 52:05 – Rapid Fire 53:05 – Next 6–9 months focus 53:35 – Where to find George   About In Search Of A candid, data-driven podcast for dealership leaders and marketers who want clarity — not hype.  Each episode features conversations with industry experts who cut through the noise and uncover the truths shaping modern automotive retail. Subscribe to stay informed on SEO, AI, analytics, and accountability in automotive marketing.

Can AI really handle your dealership's SEO?  In this first episode of In Search of Insights — a new spinoff of the In Search Of podcast — Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings joins Dan Barker to unpack the realities vs. misconceptions surrounding generative AI in automotive marketing.Why Watch Understand where AI tools actually fit into dealership marketing workflows Learn why AI content can't simply replace human SEO strategy See how Google's AI Overviews are impacting blog traffic and search behavior Get a preview of real data from ongoing studies into LLM behavior, content performance, and consumer search habits Walk away with clarity on what matters heading into Q4 — not just hype In This Episode 00:00 – Intro: Welcome to In Search of Insights  01:00 – Zach's preferred LLM & why switching is a pain  05:15 – Early AI in automotive: From Anabot to GPT-3.5 hype  10:30 – Why early AI SEO claims were overblown  15:40 – What's actually changed (and what hasn't) in AI + search  19:35 – Google Analytics blog traffic drops & AI Overviews  23:10 – Human content vs. AI content: what Google actually respects  25:55 – Learning to prompt vs. learning to search  31:00 – LLMs vs. Google: different tools, different roles  36:05 – Common dealership misconceptions about AI content  40:05 – Upcoming studies: content length, transactional search, and LLM data  41:25 – Wrap-up & looking ahead to MRC presentationAbout In Search of Insights  A monthly, no-fluff snapshot of the automotive marketing landscape — designed for dealership stakeholders, management, and marketers who want clarity, not hype.

In this episode of In Search Of…, Dan Barker is joined by Zach Billings (Co-Founder, Wikimotive) and Patrick Downes of Ruge's Automotive Group to uncover how a family-owned dealership competes — and thrives — in today's mega-group marketplace.From reputation management (1,500+ reviews at 4.9 stars!) to smart use of third-party automotive sites, SEO vs. SEM strategy, and where AI in automotive marketing actually helps, Patrick shares a playbook that's just as relevant for metro dealers as it is for small-town rooftops.  What you'll learn: How a lean two-person marketing team drives outsized results Why dealership customer experience is a competitive advantage The role of reputation management for dealerships in sales growth Post-COVID consumer behavior and third-party marketplace value What vendors + agencies can do better for dealership leadership teams Whether you're looking to refine your dealership marketing strategy, sell more cars, or build a reputation that compounds, this episode delivers actionable takeaways.And if you're looking to sell more cars, visit Wikimotive for more insights into SEO, SEM, and Social Advertising, and a better understanding of the white glove services that we offer. linkedin.com/in/daniel-r-barker/ linkedin.com/in/zachbillings/ linkedin.com/in/patrickdownes

In this premiere episode of In Search Of…, Dan Barker (CEO, Wikimotive) and Zach Billings (Co-founder, Wikimotive) sit down with Tara Rego (Director of Strategic Partnerships, Spectrum Reach) to demystify the evolving world of OTT video advertising. From her unorthodox entry into automotive retail to her leadership in digital media strategy, Tara shares sharp insights into audience fragmentation, data-driven targeting, and how to measure the true contribution of OTT within a dealership's marketing mix. This is the episode for anyone trying to make smarter media buys, understand household-level attribution, and follow the data—in order to sell more cars. And if you're looking to sell more cars, visit Wikimotive for more insights into SEO, SEM, and Social Advertising, and a better understanding of the white glove services that we offer.